Rhodium-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Potassium Vinyltrifluoroborate with Arenes: A Direct Access to Functionalized Styrene Derivatives

Herein, we report a Rh(III)-catalyzed direct alkenylation of arenes with readily available vinyltrifluoroborate to direct access to functionalized styrenes. This method tolerates a wide range of functional groups in 33 examples with excellent site- and regioselectivity under mild conditions. The synthetic utility was demonstrated through the further transformation of thus-obtained functionalized styrenes. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicated that the reaction probably proceeds through an Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation/Suzuki coupling pathway.